Review of E-learning: Theory & Practice

Through twelve well thought out chapters, Haythornthwaite
and Andrews outline how teaching practices “are affected and (potentially)
transformed with online, anywhere, anytime, anyone connectivity, and how newer
practices overlap with and affect older practices” (p. 10). Each chapter
includes a comprehensive summary as well as a list of supplemental readings for
those whose interest has been piqued by chapter content.

Outlining what they consider to be the major features of
computer-mediated learning, the authors discuss both the potentially positive
and negative influences of anonymity, asynchronicity, mobility, connectivity
and rapidity. Further, they provide real-world examples and practical
suggestions for managing those features in a purposeful way to improve the
online learning experience. Management of the major features, they argue, is
entirely dependent on awareness and purposeful instructional decision-making.

In presenting the argument that e-learning changes the
nature of learning by making the process a more democratic and community-based
activity, the authors challenge conceptions and invite us to consider new
theories of learning-specifically a new theory of e-learning.

The book is a nice balance of educational philosophy, theory
building and practical examples and suggestion. Topics range from developing
epistemic communities of practice through to practical suggestions on creating
e-learning communities, dealing with problem students from a distance, moving
from literacy to discourse and managing e-inclusion and exclusion. Over all, it
is a useful resource for both e-novices and those who are more experienced, and
is also thought provoking for teachers in face-to-face environments.

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